Episodes 146. There is Nothing Real within Me

In a place of nowhere, an endless and empty room. Only the color white could disturb someone's mental state. Now Ryan was there, and he wasn't alone. An old man and an old woman are in front of him. They watch him with their tired eyes, dry lips, and hair starting to become gray. Someone who called as his uncle and aunt stood before him. They were the parents of the three people who were fighting, Rizki, Rasyid, and Nazrul.

Meeting them in such a place was something unexpected, even for Ryan. In fact, Ryan knew nothing about the truth behind the coffin that Rizki used, he didn't know how and from what the object was made.

"Aunt, Uncle... Why are you here?" Ryan asked in confusion.

He actually already knew what would happen in a moment like this. After all, such things often happen in many movies.

"We want to tell you a few things... So, can you listen to our final request?" His aunt's voice sounded weak as she clutched her chest and held back tears.

"What do you mean by 'final request'?!"

Ryan noticed the oddity in that phrase.

However, they both just smiled and said, "We should have died a long time ago. But... Our son(Her eye become dull)... Nazrul imprisoned our souls and bodies in this coffin. So-"

"I have to destroy you both? Does that mean I have to destroy the coffin?" Ryan interrupted.

"Hmm (shaking her head), you just need to break the core of the coffin without destroying it entirely."

Hearing the conversation was too brief, the uncle tried to switch places with her and then started talking.

"There is something we want to discuss with you." The old man with wrinkles and straight hair that just had turned white faced Ryan while slightly pleading.

"What is it, uncle?"

"Let's get straight to the point because we don't have much time. I want you to stop Rasyid from killing his own brother!" The uncle pleaded while bowing and clapping his hands together.

It was a slightly complicated request but clear in its purpose. What kind of parent wants to see their children killing each other?

"Is there a specific reason why you want me to do that?" He asked politely. "Isn't Rizki resigned to his life? So why should I stop it?"

"This isn't about life or death, but more about the mental state."

Ryan furrowed his brows as a sign that he didn't understand the meaning behind those words.

"Rasyid, from the moment I saw him fight, from where his friends attacked him to the moment he was dueling with his brother, he experienced confusion about himself." The uncle explained with a grim face, unable to look at Ryan. "It's as if he didn't know who he was, how he should fight, how he should respond to all his opponents' attacks. As if Rasyid's soul had merged with many things to the point where he forgot who he was."

"Unable to recognize himself, huh?" Ryan said while holding his chin. "So, I can conclude... Rasyid is confused about his acting self at school and in reality."

"His habit of fighting using half-hearted strength at school makes him unable to fight with full strength when facing opponents on the same level with him."

"So that's how it is, huh?" The uncle finally understood all those reasons.

He might have been able to see what was happening from the beginning of the fight until now, but they still couldn't see what their son was doing if the coffin couldn't see.

"I think Rasyid tends to 'follow the people's mood,' so he always adjusts himself to others. Different people, different treatments... Why did he become like that?" Now the aunt was saddened.

Ryan wanted to say it, but it was difficult to express and tell what Rasyid was really doing after they both died.

"An assassin has to be able to act in many ways so that his target doesn't notice..." Ryan's soft voice was gentle but pierced his aunt's heart. "...Even though in the end he forgets who he is, what he is really doing, he still has to carry out his duty."

Hearing that explanation, the room suddenly fell silent without a sound. They didn't fail to understand, but it was just heavy knowing the reality.

Reality always hurts as usual.

"...There is nothing real within him..." The aunt suddenly whispered.

Both Ryan and the uncle turned to the aunt in surprise.

"There is nothing real within him!" She screamed so loud that the uncle standing beside her reflexively covered his ears.

"What do you mean, aunt?!"

"You have to calm him! Make him stop his intention. Tell him, 'We are always watching you, so don't give up.'!" She said that in a hurry.

The time seemed to be running out.

"...And also, repeat what I just said." The aunt cried as she said that.

"Nothing is real within you?" Ryan said it.

"Yes, say it! He will surely stop and realize it. Even though we haven't seen him for a long time and we probably don't recognize his current nature, we know... His nature when facing reality will surely shatter all his false consciousness."

After saying that, the uncle and aunt's bodies began to become transparent.

"It seems our time is running out?" The uncle smiled while holding back tears. "Goodbye, may you succeed, Ryan. Your parents would be very proud of your achievements if they knew."

When saying that, they both disappeared without a trace.

The aunt who was crying earlier didn't get to say goodbye. But she felt relieved knowing that everything she wanted to say had been said, so disappearing now didn't matter.

Ryan looked up, but there was only white. He just wanted to know one thing from the earlier sentence...

Are my parents proud? They don't even seem happy with my existence.

Ryan, who used to be afraid of making mistakes, was often hated by his parents for his uselessness. And from what was already known, all the fear and inferiority of that man came because of Rasyid, who liked to bully him since childhood.

"No, I mustn't vent my anger..." Clutching his chest, Ryan tried to be optimistic.

After all, he had already beaten Rasyid to a pulp at that time to vent all his anger. Seeing the head of his former bully become unrecognizable had calmed him down.

So, there was no more grudge between us. We have both grown up, knowing right from wrong.

Suddenly, the room became so bright and brought him back to the real world.

Near him, A woman with tanned skin and a long ponytail was looking at him in confusion.

"No problem, everything is fine," Ryan said with a smile.

Linda must have been worried about Ryan, who suddenly fell silent in a strange way.

....

According to his uncle and aunt's wishes, Ryan destroyed the core of the coffin and put them to rest from the eternity that had cursed them all this time.

Now there was only one problem...

.......

Back to the present time.

Ryan rambled a lot to me. Much of what he said I didn't understand, but from how he conveyed it. It was all the truth. My parents told me the truth.

"There is nothing real within me..."

I immediately reflected on that sentence.

But not long after, something strange happened to me. A headache struck, causing me to lose my balance. My body suddenly weakened and ended up collapsing.

In my heart, I thought, 'Is this because I'm being destroyed by my own lies?'

Suddenly, everything turned black, and I didn't know what happened next.

Ryan's worried voice was the only thing I heard at that moment.

My desire to kill my brother disappeared, and all the desires I created were thrown away.

Because I knew...

Those were not my true desires. I was just confused about myself.